"Daddy? Daddy I'm home!"

Hank looked up from the computer print-out he'd been studying all evening. "I'm in my room, Sunshine," he called out.

The door opened and five and a half year old Sikudhani Edna McCoy bounded in, smiling as she most often did. She rushed over to her father, who had moved away from his desk and turned his chair to face her, and leaped on to his lap. "Missed ya!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"Me? You missed me?" Hank asked, feigning surprise. "You were only gone for..." He looked up at the clock. "Three hours and fourteen minutes. Hardly enough time to miss me."

"You're fishin!" Siku declared, snuggling up to him.

"Fishing for what?" Hank asked, even though he knew the answer. This was a game the two of them played.

"Fishin' for compliments!" Siku crowed, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, sometimes you have to indulge your father," Hank said, returning her kiss with one to her forehead. "Occasionally my fragile ego needs a compliment or two to make me feel better." The child giggled. What is it, Hank pondered as he often did, about being a father that makes me realize how empty my life really was before she became a part of it?

While it was tempting to lean back in his chair, daughter in his arms and do some reflecting, he didn't know if that was the sort of thing his daughter had in mind, so instead he asked her, "How was dinner?"

"S'okay," Siku said, shrugging. "Aunt Jean made pot roast."

"Oh, lucky girl. I love pot roast," Hank's mind wandered for a moment to Sunday dinners when he was a boy, when pot roast was often served. Nobody made a pot roast like Edna McCoy. It always came out tender and juicy, the potatoes and carrots done to absolute perfection. Hm... did I remember to eat tonight? he wondered.

"It was okay I guess," Siku said. "I'd rather have fish."

"You and your fish." Hank shook his head, smiling. Although Siku liked hamburgers, hotdogs, and other children's favorites, her preference ran to chicken and fish, fish being the obvious favorite. "Someday you're going to sprout gills."

"No I won't!" Siku declared. "You're just bein' silly

"Silly, that's me," Hank confirmed. "So, I assume even though the pot roast wasn't exactly what you would have chosen for dinner, that you were, at least polite about it?"

"A'course I was!" Siku assured him. "I told Aunty Jean an' Unca Scott it was the best pot roast I ever had."

"Good for you. Did you get enough to eat though?" His daughter's metabolism didn't work quite like a so-called "normal" child and Hank worried about her getting enough to eat. As it was, she ran into the thin side, even though she was excellent health.

Siku shrugged again. "I ate a lot of the salad Aunty Jean made. I helped her with it. An' I ate a lot of the potatoes an' other stuff. I'm not starved, but I could eat..." she paused to think, "...an orange or somethin'. Why Daddy? Did you forget to eat?" Her tone sounded mildly exasperated, as if she tired of constantly having to remind her dad of the little things.

"Yes, I think I did," Hank confessed. "Shall we go to the kitchen? I'll make myself a sandwich and get you an orange."

"Okay."

They went into the kitchen. Siku sat down at the table and waited patiently. Hank got her an orange first, then set about making himself a couple thick ham and Swiss sandwiches.

"Oh, Daddy, I almost forgot," Siku piped up. "Aunty Jean let me feel her tummy an' the baby kicked!"

"It did?" Hank asked, pretending to be mildly surprised.

"Sure did. How can Aunty Jean stand havin' somethin' alive inside her, kickin' at her?"

Hank spread some mustard on the bread. "Well, she and Scott want this baby very much. While I'm sure Aunty Jean doesn't like having something kicking inside her all the time, it must make her feel better to know her baby is healthy."

"I suppose," Siku shrugged, turning her attention back to her orange. Hooking one of her nails into the skin she began pealing it off in one long spiral. When the orange was free of it's skin, she began pulling off the white strands. Her brow furrowed and her head tipped to one side, a sure sign she was deep in thought.

"What's on your mind, Sunshine?" Hank asked, coming over to the table with his late dinner. "It's obvious you're deep in thought... care to share with your father?"

Siku looked up. "Daddy, Aunty Jean looks like she ate her baby, did you know that?"

Hank stifled a laugh and tried to look serious. "I-I suppose so... although I never really thought about it that way. You know, of course, she didn't, don't you?"

Siku nodded. "I know. The baby needs a safe place t'grow big enough t'leave an' be in the real world. That's what Aunty Jean told me... but now something's bothering me."

"What is that?" Hank asked, taking hold of his sandwich with both hands and raising it towards his mouth.

"How did the baby get inside Aunty Jean's tummy?"

The sandwich stopped half way. I should have been prepared for this! Hank thought, his mind racing. Jean is in her eighth month and Siku is almost six... it's natural she'd be curious about these things. Okay, so it's natural she should ask this question.. so why is there no answer that seems natural?

Before he became a father, Hank used to scoff at the idea of parents having trouble telling their children the facts of life. It was a completely natural thing, nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. A good parent should just be honest and open and answer any question a child might have.

Now that he was a father, Hank's feelings on the subject had changed quite a bit. It wasn't that he still didn't feel it was a natural thing, or that children deserved the answers to the questions they asked, it was just that... well, now there seemed to be so much more at stake. Whatever answers he gave her to questions regarding the facts of life would probably influence her future self and how she would feel about... interacting with members of the opposite sex when those days came.

Which can wait till she's thirty-five as far as I'm concerned! Hank thought. He looked at his daughter, unable to imagine her as anything but a child, but it seemed like only yesterday he had problems picturing her as anything but an infant. She's growing up so fast! he thought.

"Daddy, are you all right?" Siku asked, as she split her orange into two sections.

"Huh?" Hank shook his head, realizing he'd been staring at Sikudhani, sandwich still half way between the plate and his mouth. "Oh, I'm fine, Sunshine," he assured her, bringing the sandwich to his mouth and taking a hearty bite to show her that everything was just great.

"So you gonna tell me how the baby got int' Aunty Jean's tummy?" Siku asked.

Hank almost choked on the bite of food he'd taken. "Uh... Uh..." He chewed rapidly, trying to get it down before he started coughing.

"Are you okay, Daddy? Do you need a drink?" Siku asked, looking concerned.

"No.." Hank said weakly as he swallowed the ham, cheese and bread. "I-I'm fine."

Siku observed him carefully, not quite willing to believe him. When Hank finally finished the bite and smiled warmly to her, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you were choking or somethin'. So, you gonna answer my question?"

"Uh... of course," Hank said. Amazing, I'm at a loss for words, he thought. Funny how rarely that ever happened to me until I became a father. "Uh.. well, how do you think it got there?" he asked. Take it slow, he reminded himself. Don't tell her more than she's ready to know... let what she says guide you.

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking you," Siku said, with an exasperated sigh. She began eating her orange, pealing away each section carefully.

"But surely you must have some thoughts on the subject," Hank countered.

"Well... I know it had somethin' t'do with wanting a baby real bad," Siku said slowly, chewing on a piece of orange. "Cause Unca Scott an' Aunty Jean are always sayin' how much they wanted this baby an' how glad they are that you an' Aunty-Doc Kimber say she's doing good. I thought maybe the baby got there cause they wished really hard, but I think there's more to it than that."

"You're right," Hank admitted. "It does take more than that. In the case of your Uncle Scott and Aunt Jean, it was... love that gave them their baby."

"Love?" Siku asked.

"Yes, love," Hank confirmed. "Your Aunt Jean and Uncle Scott love each other so much and that love led to the creation of their baby."

"Oh. So all you have to do is love someone to have a baby?" Siku asked, looking puzzled.

"Well... there is a bit more to it than that," Hank admitted. "The love that leads to babies is a special love between a man and a woman. It's a very... close... kind of love."

"Close?" Siku asked. "Like the way Aunty Jean an' Unca Scott are always hugging an' holding hands an' standing real close?"

"A lot like that," Hank said.

"Oh," Siku said softly, then lapsed into silence.

Did I handle that all right? Hank wondered. Should I have told her more? I've heard it isn't wise to tell a child more than she's ready for, and she's not asking questions, but Sikudhani is no "normal" child. There are times when she amazes me with the things she thinks. "Are you all right Sunshine?"

Siku looked up, her brows smoothing. "I'm fine Daddy," she assured him. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" Hank prompted.

"Stuff." Siku shrugged. "It's not 'portant."

"Im-portant," Hank gently corrected her.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" Bobby asked as he walked into the kitchen.

Siku turned away from the toaster she'd been studying carefully and looked over at Bobby. "Nothing," she said carefully. "Daddy's still asleep so I'm making myself some toast."

"Your dad's sleeping? Good for him." Bobby nodded. "Need some help with that toast?"

"You could get the peanut butter," the child suggested. "It's on the top shelf an' I can't reach it unless I climb on the counter, an' I'm not suppose t'do that." She frowned, thinking of the injustice of this rule. It was so easy for her to climb up on the counters and reach the top shelf, so why wasn't it allowed?

"No problem." Bobby got her the peanut butter. "Need a knife?" When Siku nodded, he reached into the drawer and pulled out a knife. "I'll bring these over to the table for you," he offered.

At that moment, the toast popped up. Siku transferred it onto a plate and carried it over to the table. As she started applying the peanut butter, Bobby helped himself to a glass of orange juice and sat down across from her. "So, you got any big plans today, squirt?"

Siku shook her head. "No.. no big plans. Do you?"

Bobby shrugged. "Kelsey and Cameron are coming over later to use the pool... I don't know if you'd call them big plans, but I'm looking forward to it. You want to join us? We can get into chicken fights."

Siku grinned and started to nod, then quite suddenly frowned. "No," she, swallowing nervously. "I-I'd better not."

"Why not?" Bobby asked, obviously puzzled.

"I-I don't know," Siku admitted. "I just don't want to."

"But usually you love playing in the pool with Cam, Kels, and me," Bobby persisted. "You love chicken fights."

"Well, maybe I've changed!" Siku said, a bit too defensively. "I said no, okay? Is that some sorta crime?"

"Whoa!" Bobby held up his hands in a "stop" gesture. "Calm down, I didn't mean to get you upset. Gee whizz, Siku, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing!" Siku said. "An' nothin's gonna get int' me either!" She turned and ran out of the room, leaving her toast behind.

Bobby watched her run off, shaking his head. What's her problem? he wondered.

Logan looked away from the television set as Siku walked into the rec. room. "Hey there, squirt, what's up?"

She looked around the room, frowning. "Unca Logan, have you seen my crayons?"

Logan shook his head. "Nope, you didn't leave them here." He studied the young girl's face. Although she spoke of crayons, he could tell there were other things on her mind. "Could you have left em' in your Dad's lab? I remember I saw you in there yesterday coloring."

Siku pause, drawing her lower lip in to her mouth and giving it a thoughtful chew. "I think you're right," she said, but this happy news didn't bring a smile to her face.

"Is something wrong kiddo?" Logan asked.

"No."

She was lying, Logan knew it. But he also knew it wasn't a good idea to push her. Kids, like many adults, didn't want to just blurt out their problems, they much preferred to be lead in to telling them through casual conversation. "Well... that's good. Hey, you wanna watch a video with me? I was thinking of putting in The Lion King and it's a lot more fun to watch it with you."

Siku hesitated, then shook her head. "I-I'd better not," she said quietly.

"Why not?" Siku never passed up the chance to watch The Lion King. It was one of her favorites.

"I-I just don't feel like it." Siku stammered. In truth, she wanted to stay, to curl up on Logan's lap, like she'd done so many times before and watch the movie, but she couldn't. Why do I have to know so much? she wailed inwardly.

"Bobby, have you seen Siku this evening?" Hank asked, as he walked in to the living room, frowning.

Bobby shook his head. "Nah, I haven't seen her since this morning. She was acting kinda weird though."

"Weird? How?" Hank stopped abruptly and looked at his friend.

"Well, I asked her if she wanted to go swimming with me, Kelsey, and Cameron and at first she seemed glad, then she got all weird and said no. When I asked her why, she kinda... well, yelled at me and ran out of the room."

"Siku?" Hank shook his head. "That does not sound like her. She's been quiet all day. She hardly touched her dinner.

"She acted weird with me too," Logan said, coming into the living room from the kitchen, a beer in his hand. "Didn't want to watch The Lion King."

"Great," Hank sighed. "Something is bothering her and now I can't find her. And it's getting dark out."

"I'm sure she's close by," Bobby said. "Siku's a good kid, she wouldn't go far. Probably just found herself a nice little hiding place to curl up and think. Have you checked the basement completely?"

"No," Hank said slowly. "But maybe I should."

"Why not?" Bobby shrugged. "I'll help you."

As he was pulling the van in to the driveway, Gambit saw someone sitting on the roof of the house. His first reaction was to scowl at the thought of someone else using his thinking spot, but when he looked closer, he realized the person on the roof wasn't an adult. Siku! he thought. What in de world is she doin' up dere?

He didn't doubt her ability to climb to the roof, the kid was a natural when it came to climbing. However, Remy did know Hank didn't like her climbing too high and Sikudhani was a pretty obedient child. So, for her to be up on the roof, meant that something was weighing on her mind enough to disobey her father's advice.

Maybe I'd better climb up on de roof myself an' have a little talk wit' her. He parked the van and took the keys out of the ignition.

It didn't take Remy long to slip up to the roof without her even noticing. Siku might have better hearing than the average person, but Gambit wasn't an average person himself. He stayed hidden in the shadows, too easy, since it was dark and watched her.

She sat on one of the edges, her arms wrapped around her knees. She wasn't crying, but it was obvious something weighed heavily on her mind. She raised her head for a moment, looking over the surrounding countryside, then, as if the problems of her mind had physical weight, she'd lower her head to rest on her arms.

"Petite Chere?" he called out softly, so as not to startle her.

She raised her head and looked in his direction. "Hi, Unca Remy." Her voice sounded drained and tired.

He moved towards her. "Mind if I join you?"

She sighed, then shook her head. "No, I don't mind."

There was something in her body language that sent out a message not to get too close. Gambit sat down about two feet away from her, giving her the space she wanted. "Come up here to t'ink?" he asked casually, as if this was an everyday occurrence.

"Yeah," Siku admitted.

"It's a good place for that," Remy observed.

"Yeah."

She's not 'xactly leavin' any openings t'talk wit' her, he thought. This was unusual for Siku. She was normally very willing to share her troubles with any sympathetic ear. An' usually her problems are easy t'solve. Why do I have a feelin' this one is a toughie "Whatcha thinkin' bout?" he asked. "You don' have t'tell me if you don' want," he added, trying to assure her he wasn't really probing, but merely trying to strike up conversation.

"No-" she began, then paused, and abruptly switched directions. "Unca Remy, why does the world have t'get so... complicated?"

"Probably 'cause we humans are complicated creatures," he said, glad for the darkness that hid his smile.

"D-daddy says learnin' is everything, but now I'm not sure," Siku continued. "Sometimes I think not knowing stuff is better. You don't have t' worry that much that way."

"Dere are some dat say ignorance is bliss," Gambit admitted. "But I don' always agree wit' dat. Sometimes what you don' know can get you int' trouble."

Siku pondered that for a moment. "I-I suppose..." she said. "But..."

Her voice trailed off, but Remy knew she wasn't finished. She merely needed to collect her thoughts before continuing. Whatever dis is it's takin' up too much room inside her, he thought. She's gonna have to spill it.

"...but..." Siku repeated.

"But what, Si?" Remy gently prompted her.

"But there are some things I'd be happier not knowing," Siku confessed.

"Si, I really wish I could say I understand, but de truth is, I really don' know what you' talking 'bout," Remy admitted. "Now you don' have't tell me if you don' want, but... you might feel better if you did."

She thought about that for a second, then took a deep breath. "Unca Remy... I don't want to have a baby," she finally blurted out.

Remy had to bite his lip hard to keep the laughter inside of him. "I-I'm sure your Daddy'll be glad t'hear that," he said, hoping his voice sounded steady.

"But... I don' know how t'stop one," Siku continued, her words rushing out. "Cause I don't know 'xactly how it happens!"

"I see," Remy said slowly. "Well... uh... what do you know 'bout it?"

"What Daddy told me. That love makes babies... and Jean an' Scott are havin' a baby cause they love each other in a special way." Now that she'd finally broken the barrier, the words rushed out of her. "I asked him if it had somethin' t'do with the way they're always touching, huggin' and holding hands and stuff and he said, 'yes.'" She turned to look at Remy, a hint of tears glinting in the moonlight. "Unca Remy, I'm pretty sure I can't have a baby with Daddy, cause, well, he's my Daddy, an you can't have a baby with your daddy, but what about everyone else? What about you, an' Unca Bobby, an Unca Logan? I'm always gettin' hugs an' kisses from you.. what if one of you.. gives me a baby!"

Gambit's eyes widened as he thought of Hanks reaction to anyone in the mansion "giving" his daughter a baby. Unable to stop himself, he burst out laughing.

Siku scooted along the roof, putting more distance between the two of them. "Go ahead and laugh!" she snapped. "You're a boy, you don' have t'worry 'bout it."

Remy immediately felt ashamed. As funny as this was to him, to Siku, it was a problem. "Aw, I'm sorry, Si. I din' mean t'laugh at you. But... it struck me as funny."

"What's so funny about it?" she demanded.

"Siku, first of all, you have t'understand, dere is no way you're gonna have a baby now. Probably won' be able t'have a baby for... eight t'ten years."

"Really?" Her voice suddenly raised in pitch, the glimmer of hope coming into it.

"Really," Remy confirmed. "Siku, you' too young t'have a baby. You' still a little girl. Little girls can't have babies. Dey have to be women first an' you got quite a few years 'b'fore you're a woman."

Siku exhaled sharply, with obvious relief. "Th-that makes sense," she admitted. "Thank you Unca Remy, I was-" Her sentence cut off abruptly and she frowned again. "Does this mean in eight to ten years, I won't be able to hug you or any of my uncles again?"

"No, Siku, not at all." He chuckled. "Your Daddy was right. It takes a special kind of love to make a baby. It can start wit' hugging and kissing, but it takes much more dan dat. You can hug your uncles all you want an' I guarantee you, if dats all you do, you'll never have a baby by any of us."

"What else does it take?" she asked.

Now it was Remy's turn to squirm. I don' t'ink Hank had me in mind for teachin' his daughter de facts of life "Uh.. well..."

Siku watched him stumbling around with an answer, and moved a little closer. "Whatever it is, it must be bad," she concluded. "Because adults sure act funny when you ask em' about it."

"No, Siku, no!" Remy disagreed quickly. "Dere is not'ing wrong with it at all." He took a deep breath, trying to find the words he needed. "Some people try t'make it wrong... but it's not. As long as you're wit' someone you care about, someone you love, an' both of you want dis to happen... den it's not bad. Den it's pretty good."

"But what's it?" Siku persisted.

"Do you really want to know?" Gambit asked. "B'cause if you do, you'd better talk to your daddy. But I don' t'ink you really want t'know, Si. I t'ink you jus' want to make sure you're not gonna have t'worry 'bout havin' a baby till you're ready. Am I right?"

Siku thought for a moment. She liked learning new things, but she knew there were some things she wasn't really ready to know. Look at the trouble knowing part of it caused, she thought, knowing all of it could make it worse. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted.

"Well, I can take dat worry out of your mind," Remy assured her. "Dere is no way you're gonna have a baby now. An' when you are old enough, you'll know de right t'ing to do."

"It's not that I don't want to have children..." she began.

"...it's just dat you want t'make sure you have em' when you're ready for dem," Gambit finished.

She nodded. "I want to be married like Scott an' Jean. I want be with someone I love as much as I love Daddy... but in a different way. I wanna love someone the same way Jean loves Scott." She reached out and put her hand on his knee. "D-do you think I'll ever find someone like that?"

Remy studied his "niece" in the pale moonlight, looking at her round face, covered with blue hair, her eyes shinning like two stars. !It's not gonna be easy for you, he thought. But you a survivor, Siku. I knew dat de night I brought you here. You had a crummy start, but you hung on. You're always gonna find a way to land on your feet. An' some day, some guy will come along who'll realize that.. and love you for who you are, not what you are. "Yeah, Siku, I t'ink you will," he said. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap. "An' you know what, Siku?"

"What?" she asked, snuggling up to him. It felt good to be able to hug her uncles again. She'd missed it.

"He's gonna be one lucky guy," Remy admitted.

"Why?" Siku asked.

"Because you're a very special kid," Remy informed her. "An' you're gonna grow up t'be a very special woman, I can tell. Any man wit' half a brain would be stupid not to love you."

Siku grinned. "Yeah, but he's gonna have one big problem.."

"Oh? Whats dat?"

"He's gotta make it through Daddy, an you..." She started ticking off her uncles using her fingers to help. "...an Unca Bobby, an Unca Scott, an Unca Logan..."

Remy's laughter echoed across the grounds. And for the first time since the night before, Sikudhani's joined in with him.